New Light
by Hally Parker
Summary: Hermione and Draco begin to see eachother in a new light, but ancient grudge will prevent them from showing these new found feelings. Will new mutiny leave civil hands unclean?


Dusk was fast approaching as Draco Malfoy sat in the shade of a large oak tree near the herbology greenhouses. Although it was late September, the sun was stifling, which was quite unusual and equally unpleasant. Not even a cool breeze relieved the Hogwarts students of the heat. 

Draco's black Hogwarts robe, which had been cast aside due to the heat, was now lying in a heap next to him, and even in his light khaki colored pants and pale green t-shirt, he felt little cooler. Beads of sweat still trickled down Draco's neck onto the open pages of his book – 'Merlin' which he had to read for History of Magic – due Monday (it was Friday). He reluctantly closed the book and realized it was getting late.

The heat had been too much for Draco inside the castle. Few realized it, but it did prove to be a few degrees cooler outside, so as soon as he could, he lost Crabbe and Goyle and headed outside. Draco would have been completely free of homework, had it not been for that dreaded book. It was just so boring. He had decided to bring it outside with him anyway; perhaps he could read a few pages, maybe? But he hadn't. Oh well, he thought, I'm almost finished.

Everyone had already eaten supper, so he didn't have to worry about going in for that at least, but he knew Snape would be looking for him soon anyway. Draco completely despised Snape, but it was worth it pretending to like him in return for good marks. Oh, yes, Draco did think of himself as shrewd, but he felt that was just who he was, and many people did seem to like him, especially – much to his dismay – Pansy Parkinson.

The sun was setting, and Draco though he should be getting back, so he after setting down 'Merlin' beside him, picked up his rumpled black robe. Then, after shaking it out thoroughly, he reluctantly pulled it over his head, and felt a wave of heat sweep over him. 

About one hundred yards ahead of him, he could see two figures running down the steps of Hogwarts. The last rays of sunlight caught on the glasses of one of them, and the flaming red hair of the other, and Draco knew at once that it was Harry Potter and Ron Weasley – probably going to visit their 'friend' Hagrid. Draco rolled his eyes and continued walking, watching Potter and Weasley head for Hagrid's 'shack'.

As he reached the stone steps, Draco turned and thought how lovely the sun looked peaking over the trees of the Enchanted Forest, then he shook his head and ran up the steps to the doors. As he was about to reach for one of the massive handles, someone on the other side opening the door rather quickly knocked him off his feet.

'Watch where you're going Granger,' Draco exclaimed angrily as she stood there practically dumbstruck. Pages of 'Merlin' were now scattered about he courtyard.

Hermione opened her mouth, probably to say something offensive, then thought better of it and closed her mouth only to open it a few seconds later saying, 'I'm terribly sorry, I hope nothing's ruined.' She said this nervously, eyeing the scattered pages, which were now blowing away in a cool breeze, which suddenly came up.

'What?! You're sorry? My book is ruined!' Draco said outraged, but then he paused and thought about what he just said – he hated that book. 'Uh, sorry, I guess. I really hate that book,' he said, avoiding her face.

Hermione laughed awkwardly, 'Would you like some help?' and bent down to collect some of the pages. The skirt of her summer dress was now positively flapping in the cool breeze. It seemed as though Hermione's taste had changed a lot over the summer; Draco definitely didn't know her that well, but he didn't think she would have worn the short, pale yellow dress, with it's thin straps, or those high heeled sandals, which she was wearing now, last year. Aside from her taste changing since her fourth year at Hogwarts, she looked as if she has developed a little more during the summer.

As Draco realized what horrible thoughts he was thinking about her, he shook the ideas from his head and stared at her in disbelief. She had picked up most of the pages for him and were now holding them out to him, 'Don't you want them?' Hermione asked in a bossy voice, 'here,' and she thrust them in his hand.

Draco didn't know what to do, but he took them anyway, and got up. Hermione spoke up again in her bossy tone, 'what were you doing out here anyway, I thought I saw your 'thugs' near the library, why aren't you with them?'

'Why do you think that's any of your business?' Draco snapped back at her. For a few moments, he thought they were getting on better terms with each other, but now, he thought, Hermione proved otherwise…

Hermione looked offended, (maybe not… Draco thought) although she was obviously trying to hide it. She stared past him for a few seconds, and then shook her head as if to snap back to reality. As she strode past him, on her way to Hagrid's, she stopped about a foot from him, and whispered, 'Sorry, again,' then she quickly walked down the steps.

Now it was Draco's turn to be dumbstruck. He watched Hermione walk quickly to Hagrid's without looking back once, except for before she knocked on Hagrid's door and was accepted to enter. Draco then turned, opened one of the vast doors, and went inside Hogwarts.

Hermione had that weird feeling that she had done something wrong. She didn't know what, maybe, it was the clothes she was wearing. It wouldn't really matter; her robes usually covered her clothes anyway, but Lavender and Parvati… They had been wearing things like that since last year, and Hermione felt left out, actually, left behind was more like it. Their clothes were so 'trendy' and their skirts so short. Harry and Ron still didn't seem to notice that she was a girl after the Yule ball, even after her and Ron's 'confrontation'. It hadn't really mattered at the end of the year, even during the summer, with what happened to Cedric. 

Hermione had vowed to make a change and she had. She could still see Harry and Ron's faces when she had showed up at King's Cross Station wearing jean Capri's and a floral printed tank top. She didn't know what shocked the more – the clothes themselves, or the fact that her 'bra' straps were showing. When they were alone in the train compartment later, Ron had whispered to her, 'Hermione, don't you know that your, um, your underwear is showing?' He had of course blushed when he said this, and so had she; it didn't take her long after that to change into her robes. After that she always remembered to keep her straps from showing, to keep from there being further confrontations about 'underwear' with Ron.

As she walked to Hagrid's house, she didn't dare look back, she knew that Draco was still there, looking at her. For some reason, she could always feel it when he was looking at her, it must have been his cold blue eyes. 

When Hermione reached Hagrid's hut, she knocked on the door. Harry opened it, and let her in. 

'Hullo,' he said warmly, 'where have you been?'

'Oh, nowhere. Um, it just took me a couple of minutes to get my shoes buckled,' Hermione said trying not to sound conspicuous.

Ron gave her a funny look, but let it go. Hermione sat down at the table, with Ron and Harry, and Hagrid poured her a cup of tea and sat down too.

'So Ron, how's yer brother Percy bin doin' at the Ministry?' Hagrid asked sipping his tea.

'Oh, fine, fine. He's been working a lot lately, but not as much as last year.' Ron answered pleasantly. Hermione was left out of the conversation for a few minutes, and she stared blankly at Ron, thinking about last year, and all of her years at Hogwarts. She thought about what might be going on at home now, but whatever she thought about, Draco always turned up. However, Ron shook her back to reality moments later.

'Hermione? Hello? What are you staring at?'

Hermione was startled, but answered, 'oh, nothing, I'm just really worn out, I'm going to go back, and go to bed.' She started to leave, but Harry and Ron decided to join her.

'Yeah, I'm quite tired too, bye Hagrid, see you later.' Harry said with a smile.

Ron however, looked at Hermione down right suspiciously, and answered slowly, 'Yeah, me too, by Hagrid,' although while he said this, his eyes never left Hermione.

Hermione walked out of Hagrid's, followed by Harry and Ron. Ron shut the door behind him and caught up with Harry and Hermione. They walked back to Gryffindor Tower together, but Ron didn't act out of character once again that evening.


End file.
